Small Stuff Le Rhone 9J / Oberursel Ur.II (110 hp) and Le Rhone 9c (80 hp) Engines
Reviewed by Brad CancianScale: 1/72
Manufacturer: Small Stuff
Available from the manufacturer at www.smallstuffmodels.com or from quality model retailers worldwide.
Price: $US 9 plus postage
Contents: Resin parts, instructions
Small Stuff Models have a diverse range of 1/72 scale resin engines designed specifically for First World War era subjects, including a gorgeous series of French and German rotary engines. These fill a very sorely neglected gap in the aftermarket details available for 1/72 scale first world war modellers, who finally now have an option to help them superdetail their ‘God-scale” kits. So what do we get “in the bag”?
Examining the Le Rhone 9J / Oberursel Ur.II (110 hp) kit, it is immediately obvious how tiny these engines are. The kit comes in a small bag (which may leave the parts open to some damage during transfer, though my kits showed no such ailments). The bag has a header card showing a picture of the built up engine, a description of the engine, and a representative listing of the types of aircraft the engines were used on (which is handy when you are trying to work out which engine would suit which type of aircraft). What is also noted on the card is that the engines are manufactured in Israel, in association with scalemodels.ru.
In the bag, you get a small instruction sheet, which again contains the same information, some diagrammatic representations of the parts, some general instructions for assembly and some basic assembly instructions. All quite suitable for this kit. The instructions also note the different crank cases to be used, depending on which version of the engine you use. A nice touch.
Now the main event - you get 32(!) finely cast resin components for this engine. I have no idea how they have managed to get the castings so crisp and precise, but these are hands down some of the best castings I have seen in any scale. Details are finely represented, and detail is consistent across the components. The cooling fins on the cylinders are extremely fine, the detailing on the induction pipes includes the stiffening ribs (wow!) and the crank cases have exquisite fastener head details (which differ between the two variants provided). The kit even comes with tiny spark plugs (!), moulded separately from the cylinders. The only things you will need to add are the spark plug wires. 
The casting blocks have protective “ends” to help avoid damage to the parts. Some care will be needed to remove the fine parts without damaging or losing them. Care will also be needed to align the components, so a slow setting superglue is needed.
In looking up references (which are sporadic), the engines are just slightly overscale (unavoidable I think in this scale), but are quite accurate in their configuration and details as far as I can tell. Some thinning of cowlings will probably be needed, but this is even pointed out in the instructions.
The other engine I reviewed is the Le Rohone 9C (80hp), and it is no less exquisite. Again, the same bag, header card, instructions and exquisite resin parts (41 parts no less!), including some extremely fine pushrods and pushrod connectors. These will be challenging to remove from the casting blocks but again the detail is simply sublime.
Conclusions about these engines – I simply cannot fault them. The detail is excellent, crisp, consistent, and amazing for this scale. You will need patience, a steady hand and care to assemble these, but under a coat of paint and on a model they will be a highlight and a focal point. Go out and buy them before I snap them all up myself!
Our thanks to Small Stuff for the review sample. Please support those businesses that support our forum
